Approving Time Off Requests

Learn how managers can efficiently review, approve or deny time off requests while checking for schedule conflicts, leave balances, and team coverage.

Overview

As a manager, you’re responsible for reviewing and processing time off requests from your team members. The Shifts platform provides tools to help you make informed decisions while balancing individual needs with operational requirements.

Accessing Time Off Requests

Finding Pending Requests

1. From your manager dashboard, click on Approvals in the main menu
2. Select the Time Off Requests tab
3. By default, you’ll see all pending requests sorted by submission date
4. Use filters to narrow requests by employee, date range, or leave type

Viewing Request Details

Click on any request to see full details:

• Employee information
• Leave type and dates requested
• Business days affected
• Leave balance information
• Any comments or documentation provided
• Potential shift conflicts

Evaluating Time Off Requests

Checking for Conflicts

When reviewing a request, the system highlights potential issues:

• Shift Coverage: Shows which shifts will need coverage during the requested period
• Staffing Levels: Indicates if minimum staffing requirements would be affected
• Team Calendar: Displays who else is off during the requested dates
• Business Impact: Flags critical business periods or events

Verifying Leave Balances

The system automatically checks if the employee has sufficient balance:

• Current balance for the requested leave type
• Projected balance including approved future requests
• Warning indicators if the request exceeds available balance

Making a Decision

Approving a Request

To approve a time off request:

1. Review all details and conflicts
2. Add any notes for the employee (optional)
3. Click the Approve button
4. Confirm your decision

The system will:

• Update the request status to “Approved”
• Notify the employee
• Update the team calendar
• Make shifts available for coverage if needed
• Adjust the employee’s leave balance

Denying a Request

If you need to deny a request:

1. Select the Deny button
2. Select or enter a reason for the denial
3. Add any explanatory comments or alternatives (highly recommended)
4. Confirm your decision

The system will notify the employee of the denial with your explanation.

Requesting Modifications

For requests that could be approved with changes:

1. Click the Request Changes button
2. Specify what modifications would make the request acceptable
3. The employee will be notified and can submit a revised request

Bulk Processing Requests

For efficient management of multiple requests:

1. From the Time Off Requests screen, check the boxes next to multiple requests
2. Click the Bulk Actions button
3. Select Approve All or Deny All
4. Provide any common notes
5. Confirm your action

Handling Special Circumstances

Insufficient Balance Requests

For requests exceeding available balance:

• The system will flag the discrepancy
• You can still approve (balance will go negative)
• Consider requesting the employee to modify the dates
• Leave balance adjustments can be processed if appropriate

Cancellation Requests

When an employee wants to cancel approved time off:

1. The cancellation appears in your approval queue
2. Review any scheduling impacts
3. Approve or deny the cancellation
4. Approved cancellations return time to the employee’s balance

Best Practices

For effective time off management:

1. Review requests promptly - Aim to respond within 48 hours
2. Be consistent - Apply the same criteria to all team members
3. Provide context for denials - Help employees understand the business reasons
4. Suggest alternatives - Offer different dates that would work better
5. Plan ahead - Use the leave calendar to anticipate coverage needs
6. Document special exceptions - Note reasons for unusual approvals

Related Resources

• Understanding Leave Balances
• Bulk Approval Processing
• Team Leave Calendar
• Available Leave Types
• Timesheet Approvals

This article should be updated when:

1. The approval interface changes
2. New conflict detection features are added
3. The bulk approval process is modified
4. Leave balance calculation methods change
5. New manager options for time off management are introduced